The First Key to An Effective Pledge Break

"Enthusiasm"

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Every year as I get ready for our fundraiser, I read this quote from Jerold Panas, a man who wrote the book "Born to Raise: What Makes a Great Fund Raiser":

"Effective fund raisers are not fast-talking salespeople trying to bring a quick buck to the institution. They are people who share and convey a deep belief in the merit and worth of the organization they represent ... You have to believe that your institution makes a difference."

This quote always inspires me to look deep inside myself to find out why I believe WRUW makes a difference. Usually my answers revolve around three subtopics of enthusiasm, and that's what I share with you today.

First, you need enthusiasm for the station

As you well know, we're a special kind of media organization and there are great reasons to be excited about WRUW. However, you have to remind the listener of what makes us special.

While most mainstream / commercial radio has gone to nationally-decided programming, we're completely "local". We're run by local talent, we focus on local music and performances, and we provide local views on local and national issues. We serve a special audience and provide programming that other stations don't and WON'T touch. This makes us extremely unique in the Cleveland marketplace.

We're also unique in that the station gives YOU relatively close to 100% freedom to choose any programming you want to provide. This is an absolute GIFT to all of us to be creative and serve audiences however we see fit. Where else can listeners experience individual shows devoted to the many different genres of music we have on our schedule each week?

… AND WE'VE BEEN THIS WAY FOR 41 YEARS!

And, of course, we sound absolutely GREAT over the air (if I do say so myself), we have fabulously modern equipment, and we have enough power to cover almost all of Northeast Ohio with all our wonderful programming! While many college-based stations limp along on 10 to 3,000 watts of power, we're pumping out 15,000 watts of greatness!

Second, you need Enthusiasm for your show

Each of you who have a show on the schedule need to think about this.

You went through some kind of training program when you started here, putting in the time and energy to learn how to do radio the WRUW way.

Then, you voluntarily turned in a show application. Now, you're on the schedule hosting your show. Or maybe you've hosted a show in the past and now you're taking a semester off.

For some of you this is your first semester beyond your AP training. For others, this is your twenty-first semester. For still others, it is your ninety-first semester on-air at WRUW. For me, this is my 24th year (around 71 semesters) at WRUW.

Why the heck are you here and involved with WRUW?
I mean, really, WHY?

And what keeps you here?

What gets you out of bed in the middle of the night to host a 5:00 am show? I've done one and know what it's like. Why do YOU do it?

What motivates you to get in your car in a blinding snowstorm to do your show and keep us on the air?

Why do you put so much time and energy into your show, picking music, or creating special shows and themes?

Why do you provide the programming you do? Why THAT particular music genre? Why those particular public affairs topics?

For some of you, I can even ask "Why do you do so much work OUTSIDE of your show to keep this station going?"

... WITHOUT GETTING PAID, COERCED, or FORCED to do so.

Your answer cannot possibly be
"I have nothing else to do."

The truth is, you have a lot of other things you could be doing, but you've chosen to spend your time with WRUW, doing a show.

Set aside some time in the next couple of days to reflect on the big "Why's" of your involvement with WRUW, and then outline how you might say it to the listener ... because you and your listeners have a lot in common. A lot of your listeners are ALSO volunteers in their lives.

They volunteer at their church to serve on church council, sing in the choir, or teach Sunday School.

They volunteer at the Rape Crisis Center, AIDS Task Force, or the Free Clinic.

They serve as volunteer ushers at Playhouse Square or volunteer in local community theaters.

They volunteer with the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Parent-Teacher Organizations in their local schools.

They serve on community councils, in professional organizations, and dozens of other ways big and small.

In short, your listeners ALSO invest their time in worthwhile organizations for no monetary return.

The more you can express this commonality you have with your listeners, the more they can identify with you as a real person, driven by an enthusiastic passion for what you do. And, the more likely they will be to support you, your show and WRUW.

Third, you need Enthusiasm for the fundraiser

There are no apologies needed for "interrupting" our regular programming for this fundraiser. In fact, this is your most important show all year!

The University (in the larger context of Case "as a whole entity") provides studio space, lighting, power, and other physical plant services to us at no charge.

The students of the University who pay a semesterly "Activity Fee", help fund half of our annual operating budget through a portion of that fee.

We obtain a little money from underwriting, but not enough to provide a significant dent in reducing our costs each year.

So, the deficit between what we spend, and what we receive from the Activity Fee has to be made up SOMEHOW.

As part of Case, we are therefore non-profit. All non-profit entities need to raise funds by asking members of their community.

The Free Clinic does it.
The American Heart Association does it.
United Way does it.
Case does it.
We do it.
It's NORMAL to ask people to support your organization.

But, if you're not proud of the station ... and

If you're not proud of your show and involvement at WRUW ... and

If you don't truly believe we "make a difference" or that YOU "make a difference" as Jerold Panas wrote in the opening quote ... then

You can't possibly be enthusiastic enough to ask for money to help the station grow and improve.

You need enthusiasm for what we do and you need to communicate that enthusiasm to your listeners. You don't have to be "all smiles" and "saccharinely sweet and icky" about it.

Being enthusiastic involves speaking with confidence, humor, passion, pride, love, sincerity and honesty about your involvement with WRUW.

Communicating your enthusiasm is the most important key to an effective pledge break. Take some time to think about the strength of your belief before our fundraiser begins on Sunday!

Thanks for reading!

P.S.: "Enthusiasm" comes from the Greek word "entheos" which means "the spirit within". And, the "iasm" suffix is often said to be an abbreviation for "I Am Sold Myself".

Read The Second Key to an Effective Pledge Break